Guidance

Foxes, moles and mink: how to protect your property from damage

How to solve a pest problem with foxes, moles and mink using traps, snares and other methods.

From:
Natural England
Published
1 June 2015
Last updated
19 April 2023 — See all updates

Applies to England

Any foxes, moles and mink that you catch are protected under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. You can be jailed and get an unlimited fine for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

Illegal pest control methods

You must only use control methods set out in this guidance. If you do not, you could you face a jail sentence of up to 6 months and an unlimited fine.

You cannot use the following for foxes, moles or mink:

  • self-locking snares
  • bows and crossbows
  • explosives other than legal ammunition for a licensed firearm
  • live birds or animals, as bait or live decoys

Foxes

Foxes are not protected for conservation purposes in England. The owner or occupier of the property where a problem with foxes occurs can decide when to control them. You or anyone you employ to control the foxes must protect their welfare.

To discourage foxes from coming to your property you should:

  • secure food waste in bins
  • use fencing to protect pets and livestock from foxes

If the problem continues you can use the control methods set out in this guide. You must not:

  • use gassing or poisoning
  • block or destroy fox earths if they are occupied
  • use dogs to hunt foxes

Catch foxes with cage traps and snares

You can use cage traps and snares to catch foxes.

You should check cage traps at least once a day to stop a captured fox (or non-target species) suffering.

You should not relocate or release captured foxes from an urban environment into the countryside. Transporting and relocating foxes to an unfamiliar environment will cause them stress.

If you use a snare you must:

  • only use free-running snares in good working condition, which relax when the animal is captured
  • check snares at least once a day
  • kill humanely any fox you catch and intend to euthanize while it’s in the snare
  • release all other animals unharmed – except grey squirrels and mink, which you must kill humanely

You must not use:

  • snares or cage traps where foxes would be exposed to severe weather
  • snares or cage traps if weather conditions are likely to stop you from inspecting them once a day
  • snares or cage traps near a badger sett or where badgers are present
  • snares that could allow a fox to become fully or partially suspended, entangled, drowned or strangled
  • snares in urban areas or public spaces
  • spring traps to kill a fox

Read the Code of best practice on the use of snares for fox control in England from The British Association for Shooting and Conservation.

Shoot foxes

You can shoot free foxes using a suitable firearm and ammunition.

You should not use firearms in urban areas.

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation has a code of practice on shooting foxes at night (lamping).

Use dogs to control foxes

You cannot use dogs to hunt foxes.

You can use dogs to stalk or flush out foxes above ground, but only to stop serious damage to your property. You must:

  • use no more than 2 dogs
  • shoot the foxes as soon as they break cover
  • carry proof that you own the land or have written permission from the landowner

Use fox repellents or deterrents

You should only use repellents and deterrents approved for use against foxes.

Moles

You can control mole numbers most effectively from October to April. This is when they are most actively digging new tunnels and before the breeding season.

Catch moles with traps

You should place traps at least 150mm below ground in the main tunnel of a mole run. You should check traps at least once a day. You can use spring traps, but you must:

  • only use spring traps commonly used for catching moles
  • kill humanely any live moles you catch

Control moles with gas

You should use someone trained in the use of gassing products. Read the HSE information sheet: Gassing of rabbits and vertebrate pests for more information.

Control moles with repellents

There are no commercially available repellents approved for use against moles.

Mink

Catch mink with traps

You can trap mink most effectively between:

  • February and March (mating season)
  • August and November (when their young leave the den)

You can use cage and spring traps, but you must:

You should check traps at least once a day.

Shoot mink

You can shoot free mink using a suitable firearm and ammunition.

Use dogs to control mink

You cannot use dogs to hunt mink.

You can use dogs to stalk or flush out mink above ground, but only to stop serious damage to your property. You must:

  • use no more than 2 dogs
  • shoot the mink as soon as they break cover
  • carry proof that you own the land or have written permission from the landowner

Pest control

For general advice about controlling pests, read Pest control on your property.

Get help

Contact Natural England for advice on dealing with wildlife management.

Wildlife licensing

Natural England
Horizon House
Deanery Road
Bristol
BS1 5AH

Email wildlife@naturalengland.org.uk

Telephone 020 8026 1089

Updates to this page

Published 1 June 2015
Last updated 19 April 2023 + show all updates

  1. Clarified when it's most effective to catch mink with traps.

  2. We've updated the limit of the fine for not using the control methods set out in this guidance.

  3. changed "you must not relocate or release captured foxes" to "you shouldn't relocate or release captured foxes stress by transporting and relocating them to an unfamiliar environment".

  4. First published.

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